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Here's my off-the-top-of-my-head three-step rundown on Ruby on Rails:
Ruby is an object oriented programing language licensed under GPL. Looks to me like it shares a good bit in common with Python. It is particularly popular in Japan.

Ruby on Rails is a framework that aims to make it easy to create MVC web applications with Ruby. MVC (model view controller) is basically a way of separating and organizing different parts of an application.

If you want to check out Ruby on Rails, go to it's homepage or work though the super easy beginner tutorial at Onlamp which aims to give you a feel for how Ruby can make common tasks more simple.

Potential topics for discussion include but are not limited to:

Hey, look at the websites people created in 24 hours!

I like Ruby, but...

Your experiences with Ruby or Ruby on Rails

Comparison of Rails Day results to other "do something in 24 hours" event

Also, note that this is about the third thread ever in this forum that isn't in the form of: "How do I _____ with PERL?"

Using your unpaid time to add free content to SitePoint Pty Ltd's portfolio?

I built an app in Rails to help manage my finances in an afternoon a few weekends back

Ruby on Rails is very cool. It takes a little bit of getting used to (especially if you're coming from more verbose languages like Java or C#), but once you "get it" you can do just about anything very quickly. Now if only more than one major host supported it

I built an app in Rails to help manage my finances in an afternoon a few weekends back

Money management, nice! This is something you run locally?

Originally Posted by vgarcia

Ruby on Rails is very cool. It takes a little bit of getting used to (especially if you're coming from more verbose languages like Java or C#), but once you "get it" you can do just about anything very quickly. Now if only more than one major host supported it

More hosts will come with more popularity, I suppose. Here are some host lists for reference: list 1, list 2
What host did you consider to be the "major" one? Textdrive?

I fully agree that Ruby on Rails is far from verbose. For anyone who hasn't followed the ONLamp tutorial, you can make a simple database-driven application with about two lines of code, and you can make a fairly customizable application with one/many to many relationships and such with maybe 5-10 lines of code.

Originally Posted by igor.kudela

looks interesting but why is it called ruby on rails

The idea (I believe) is that you are using Ruby in a framework that guides you towards building a well-structured web application. Basically, it is a path that you can follow, like a train's tracks.

Using your unpaid time to add free content to SitePoint Pty Ltd's portfolio?